Famous for its warm winter weather, smashing beaches, and the highest peak in Spain, Mount Teide, Tenerife is also a righteous foodie destination. The food in Tenerife is based on the local produce grown on the island and the delights of the ocean, as well as plenty of tropical fruits.
Tenerife cuisine is a fabulous culinary melting pot of foods dating back to the Guanches, the original inhabitants of the Canary Islands, to the 20th-century migrants from Latin America.
Being an island, fish and seafood is, of course, a central part of their culinary art, and being a Spanish island, there is also a whole range of scrumptious tapas to be had.
If this sounds compelling, read on to discover the best of what to eat in Tenerife from tapas to desserts.
About the Cuisine in Tenerife
Traditional food in Tenerife is far from the complex French cooking. In fact, it is more comparable to Italian cuisine. Not at all in ingredients (except the olive oil of course!) and dishes, but in its simplicity.
The cuisine in Tenerife is based on few ingredients and locally available products, mainly fish, seafood, cheese, and potatoes – or papas as they call it on the island, a word clearly adopted from Latin America. And of course the Canary signature sauce, Mojo.
With Tenerife’s tropical temperatures, the northern part of the island assures a continuous supply of locally fresh fruit and vegetables.
On top of that, like in Mediterranean countries, olive oil is an important attribute to their cooking.
What to Eat in Tenerife
Staple Food in Tenerife
Mojo
Mojo is the most typical Canary food in Tenerife. It is a sauce found in three variations – two red types and one green.
Mojo Rojo is mainly dried pepper and paprika while Mojo Picon is with chili. The green sauce, Mojo Verde, is made of parsley or coriander.
These simple and delightful sauces are easily used with any food you can imagine in Tenerife and the rest of the Canary Islands. Yet, the Papas Arrugadas con Mojo (small wrinkled potatoes) is the most typical in all its simplicity and delightfulness.
Mojo sauces make for a great souvenir so don’t forget to grab a few bottles for your friends and family when you go shopping in Tenerife.
Gofio
Another staple of the Canary cuisine that you will find in pretty much every restaurant in Tenerife is Gofio. It is a flour mix made of roasted corn, barley, wheat, or chickpeas.
Gofio is said to originate from the Berbers and was already used by the first inhabitants of the Canary Islands.
You can get it served in several different ways, in bread, as a thickener in soups, or in desserts like Frangollo (milk pudding,) and delightful Gofio Mousse.
Almogrote
This incredibly flavorful paste is originally from La Gomera but has navigated its way to the Canary Islands and Tenerife. As a result, you can find this delight in many of Tenerife’s restaurants.
The core ingredients in Almogrote are tomato, garlic, olive oil, and local hard-curated goat cheese. This simple paste is usually used as a spread on bread.
Tapas
Papas Arrugadas
Not only famous in Tenerife, but Papas Arrugadas is also a signature dish of the Canary Islands.
Small, locally grown potatoes are first cooked and then roasted to give them a tasty, wrinkled skin. Topped with sea salt, they are usually served with Mojo either on top or on the side in little dipping bowls.
No matter what, this is a tapas you must try in Tenerife and you will in all probability get them served with a main of fish or meat too.
Churros de Pescado
Tenerife’s deep-fried delight, Fish Churros, is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Marinated in lemon, garlic, and parsley, the fish filets are covered in garlic, saffron, and herb batter.
Dip them in Aioli sauce and you are guaranteed a finger-licking ecstasy!
Cheese
Did you know that the Canary Islands, including Tenerife, produces some of the most delectable award-winning cheese in the world? Well, now you know.
Tenerife has a wide range of exceptional fresh goat cheeses to cured cheeses. Get them covered in Gofio or paprika, deep-fried, grilled, or smoked – often with a nice Mojo on the side to dip the cheese.
There are no doubts cheese lovers will be in the twilight zone trying out all the different types.
If you want to bring some home, all kinds of cheese can be found in any food market in Tenerife.
Croquetas Caseras
Croquetas is one of the most popular Spanish tapas and be sure you try them in Tenerife. Especially homemade croquetas, “Croquetas Caseras” truly get out the flavors in these deep-fried oval balls.
The most typical is filled with white fish and ham mixed with potatoes. But there are many other delightful fillings to try out like tuna, spinach, mushroom, or chicken. And often with a side of Mojo dip to please your palates.
Main Meals
Ropa Vieja Canaria
Ropa Vieja, once you know what it means, Old Clothes, it doesn’t exactly sound particularly appetizing. And the origin of the name might not give it the most luxurious feel to it as it is about using up leftovers.
Originally a Cuban dish, it has become a trademark of Tenerife cuisine sweeping up “leftovers” like chickpeas, potatoes, beef, pork, and chicken with cooking stock and different spices in one pot of delightful flavors. Mixed with sauteed vegetables, it is usually served with tonnes of chopped parsley.
Puchero Canario
A traditional Canary Island savory stew of meats like pork, chicken, and chorizo with a wide variety of vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, courgettes, pumpkin, green beans, carrots, cabbage, chickpeas, corn, and pears.
This is flavored with a mix of garlic, saffron, and cumin and topped with olive oil and vinegar to your liking once served.
Arroz a la Cubana
Yet another dish adopted from the Cubans shows how Tenerife’s simple food can be a feast for the senses.
The humble rice dish contains local bananas, fried eggs, ground beef, and either pork or sausages.
Make sure you try out Arroz a la Cubana at least once on your trip to Tenerife.
Conejo en Salmorejo
One of the most popular Tenerife dishes is Conejo en Salmorejo. This is a palatable dish made of diced rabbit marinated in olive oil, wine, vinegar, paprika, garlic, chili, rosemary, and thyme.
Yet another delightful traditional food in Tenerife served with Papas Arrugadas.
Desserts
Frangollo
Frangollo is one of the oldest traditional desserts in Tenerife which is widespread across the Canary Islands.
The heavenly pudding is typically a blend of milk, eggs, sugar, corn flour, butter, and lemon with raisins, almonds, and cinnamon. However, you can experience slight variations.
Bienmesabe
Bienmesabe, which translated means “it tastes good to me” is originally a dessert from Las Palmas, but it is widespread in Tenerife too.
The delicious sweet almond-based paste is usually made with sugar/honey, egg, and lemon, and goes incredibly well with anything from cakes to biscuit desserts. But you can also find it with custard and ice cream, or even on toast.
The origin of Bienmesabe is said to come from a baker that was abandoned by her husband in the 1940s, Matilde Arroyo. To feed her children, she was forced to make desserts that she would sell door to door. Once you taste this delight, you will be thankful for this lady’s effort!
Gofio Mousse
Gofio Mousse is another traditional dessert, that you should not leave Tenerife without trying. Traditionally made with Gofio, egg, whipped cream, and condensed milk, this is a delightful, fluffy sweet treat to end your dinner with. It does not get more traditional than this.
Traditional Drinks in Tenerife
Barraquito
The history of this traditional coffee dessert drink dates back to the mid-20th century when a gentleman regularly asked for this unusual mix at the Imperial Bar in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Traditionally, Barraquito contains the following layers: condensed milk, Licor 43 (Spanish liqueur), espresso, and frothy milk. It is usually topped with cinnamon and lemon peel. You can expect variations of this recipe, but it is the perfect way to end a good meal.
You can also ask for it alcohol-free – “Barriquito sin alcohol” or “Barraquito sin licor”.
Ron Miel
After a fulfilling meal, especially if you have scuffed down one of the Canarian stews followed by a hearty dessert, it makes sense to round off with a “chupito” (shot) of local honey rum to help digestion. The most popular honey rum is produced in the nearby island of Gran Canaria, by Arehucas Distillery.
Some restaurants offer a free shot after the meal, which is custom in several Mediterranean destinations and it is truly a heavenly treat for the palates.
Wine
Tenerife is the main Canary Island for wine production and has produced excellent wine ever since the Spanish introduced vines to the island in the 15th century. The different climates on the island create perfect conditions for different kinds of grapes, thus there are a lot of different types of wines from Tenerife.
Worth noting are the dry white wines from Tenerife like Viña Norte and Viñatigo. To look for the best wines, enter any venue with the names “guachinche”, “tasca” or “bodega”.
If you want to go on a wine tour to taste all the best local wines, you might find it easier to go on an organized wine-tasting tour with a local guide.
For wine lovers, a wine tour in Tenerife is a must – the unique climate gives the local wines a distinguished fresh and light taste compared to any of the other Canary Islands and they have a slightly salty touch to them.
For more articles about the Canary Islands check out the following:
Like it? Pin it!
Disclaimer: Some of the links on this website are “affiliate links.” This means that if you click on the link and do a purchase, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost for you. This helps me keep my website running and continue to share my travelling knowledge with you. I thank you for booking your flights or hotels using the links on my website. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.
I love the fusion of different culinary styles, it seems to blend the med with african flavours. I also love bodega. I’ve only been tenerife once and wanted to hike up Mount Teide, but we had some issues with our transport. I’d love to head back here and do the hike. I didn’t realise it was spains highest peak.
Wow! So many delicious foods and flavors! The almogrote sounds like something I would love ( and probably get addicted to!). I also love potatoes, so all of the papas dishes look really good. When we travel we like learning more about the food culture wherever we go. Sounds like a visit to Tenerife is in order!
I haven’t been to Tenerife yet, although I’ve visited Spain many times, mainly because of the food. I heard Tenerife has delicious food, but now I must go there. An excellent guide on what to eat and where to eat. It’s great to know that the food in Tenerife is far from French cooking and closer to Italian style. I want to try Gofio, Papas Arrugadas, Churros de Pescado. I want to try Ropa Vieja Canaria to compare it with Ropa Vieja from Cuba, as it’s my favorite Cuban food. Bienmesabe seems the perfect dessert for me.